Article of luggage



Jan. 25, 1944. w. H. BRACKEN ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1942 I. ayzzzccax m Jan. 25, 1944- w. H. BRACKEN ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE Filed A ril 29 t n m m 2 M 5 4 a G M A. S n 1 m m v w m mm W Patented Jan. 25, 1944 UNITED stares 2,339 07 TP L 91 LUGGAG Wallace H; Bracknl R-yt N! Y. a

Application April 29,

- 1.Claim.'

This invention relates to a new andimproved article of luggage, and relates somewhat'more particularly to a novel suitcase formed in two completely disengageable sections. 1 The present application constitutes in part a continuation of my co-pending application Serial llo, {LQOQQ IK for Wardrobe cases, filed July 8, 1941, issued July 14, 1942, as Patent No. 2,290,090. v

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an article of luggage formed in a plurality of complementary, interfitting sections which may be quickly assembled when the case is to be carried, and which, with equal facility and speed, maybe disassembled and'the two sections laid open, face upwards, for packing or unpacking.

Another important object of the presentinvention is to provide a novel articleof luggage formed in a plurality of complementary box-like sections, and wherein hinges are completely preciated all the more when it is considered how frequently the cover of the usual hinged case falls shut when it is desired to have it stay open. Also, by eliminating hinges or hinge-like elements, the cost of the case is materially reduced without, however, reducing, but, on the contrary, increasing the utility of thecase'.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suitcase which is substantially dust-proof and water-proof, a novel arrangement of =valences and unique internal, interlocking elements being provided to effect this result.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a wardrobe case having a suit-carrying section and a clothing accessory-carrying section which may be completely disengaged irom each other, the handle for the bag being'p'referably, though not necessarily, associated with the latter section in order that this section may be independently carried, as from a Pullman berth to the washroom without the necessity and inconvenience of carrying the entire wardrobe case.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a case of the character described wherein the two sections cooperate with each other to very considerably strengthen the assembled structure.

A further important object of the present iI'1- vention is to provide a hingeless traveling case wherein more or less conventional locking elements are provided at the upper end thereofior retaining the two elements in assembled "relationship, and unique and novel internal, inter- 20 eliminated. This singular advantage will beep locking or fastening means are, provided at the lowerlend of the ease. The arrangement is such, however, that when the upper locking elements are .disengagedfandthe upper meeting portions of the sections are moved apart even a very j instantly released, thus distinguishing the ,case from the devices of,the art wherein it is necessary to move one section through a very 1 0 substantial arc before one section may be dis-v engaged irom the other.

V In the drawings: a

Fignlis a perspective view of thepreferred embodiment of the. present invention.

Fi'gflfilis a perspective view showing a slight modification in the form of the outer casing',

3 is a perspective view of the two sections forming the preferred embodiment, the two sectio'ns being shown in disassembled relationship;

' v Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on f'line4" lof Fig; 1.

Figi 5" is a front elevation of the bodysection of the preferred embodiment.

Fig; dis a .front elevation of the cover section of su'ch 'embodiment. g

Fig]? is a broken vertical section taken on line 'I? of 'Fig E.

' Fig. 8 is" a broken horizontal section taken t nmsae of Fig.1.

Fig. 9is abroken vertical section taken on line 99 of Fi .6.

Fig. 10 ea broken exploded view of a modified form of the invention,

I Fig. l1 is a broken vertical section taken t r u h? odified. form of interlocking re a i e eme t Figure" 12 shows a broken transverse section taken through another modified form of the in- .v 'n q i- 40" Thepr'efer-red embodiment of the present in- I vention cloinprises-a plurality of interfitting secons including a body section l0 and a cover secn ll; Bothofthese, sections are of substantially the same sizeand shape, and they are readjeri ed to'asbody section and cover section, re-

- s ively, merely'ior convenience in the descriptiomfalthoughlboth"may properly be considered body'sections.

a Section II) is generally rectangular in shape and isprovided witl'i'a top Wall l2, end wall l3, 'a bottomfwall .l shanda sidewall l5 extending the full lengtl ipf the case. A continuous valence strip .leextends irom the lower edge of one end wall [3 .up'It tap wall It, across the f -ulllength thereof,

. 55.. .on the. opposite end. wall' it, and is .slight'distance, the lower fastening means may face of wall 2|.

firmly secured to, and extends beyond, the inner marginal edges of said walls. If desired, this valence strip could be formed in a plurality of sections, although it is preferred to provide one continuous strip. This valence strip may be of wood, metal, plastic, or other suitable material. The lower edges of the valence strip l5 may be further secured to each end wall l3 of the case by means of an angle member having a vertical portion I! engaging each lower terminal of the valence strip, and a horizontal portion l8 which is suitably secured to the lower surface of lower wall l4. If desired, a plurality of hangers (not shown) may be positioned within the area formed by section l0, and such hangers may be retained 7 Section II is similarly shaped, and is prefer- "ably of substantially the same size as section It.

This section also includes an upper wall 2|, end walls 22, bottom wall 23, andside wall 24. If desired, section II may have a partition or closure member which may have a hinged connection at its lower end with lower wall 23, and

may be maintained in such closed position by means of short straps having snap fasteners 20. Upper walls l2 and 2| have complemental locking elements 21 and 28, respectively, and a handle structure 29 may be secured to the upper sur- The internal retaining elements comprise one or more vertical lugs 33 which may be formed as.

angle members having base portions 35 which are secured to lower wall l4 of section III by means of rivets or the like 36. The complemental fastening element mounted on the upper surface of lower wall 23 of section II may comprise a substantially hook-shaped element 30, also having a base portion 3| which is secured to such lower "wall 23 by means of rivets 32.

Sections Ill and H may be internally lined, as

shown at 34, such lining covering the upper sur-;

end of section II is moved to a position where, hook portions 42 are adjacent to the upper edge of lug 33, and in this position the upper end of section II may be slightly spaced from the upper end of section l0. Section II is now moved downwardly, thus causing lug 33 to be received, in the recess formed by hook portion 42. When the upper edge of lug 33 has become fully seated in the recess, as shown in Fig. 4, the upper edge of section II may be moved inwardly to a point l2 and 2| are in meeting engagement, as shown in Fig. 4, and the case is now ready to be finally secured in assembled relationship by manipulation of locking elements 21.

two sections of the case are rigidly supported relative to each other. The bottom walls of the case may further have a plurality of semi-circular supporting elements or rivets 45 which prevent the lower surface of the case from being defaced. Sections I0 and II may be constructed in the usual manner with a rigid, box-like structure formed of plywood or the like, and may have a leather or fabric covering, or may be otherwise formed, all as is well known in the art.

The structure of Fig. 2 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 to 9 only in that the complemental sections 48 and 43 have diagonally disposed inner vertical edges, and in this instance the valence strip 50 is non-parallel with the side walls of the case. This also provides a highly rigid structure.

In the modified structure shown in Fig. 10, sections 52 and 53 are formed in the usual manner, section 52 having the valence strip 54 extending around three sides thereof. In this instance, however, only a single lug 55 is provided, such lug extending the major portion of the length of the case. The complemental fastening element comprises an elongated member 56 having an elongated hook portion 51. It will be appreciated that this modified structure effectively seals the fully meeting, lower marginal edges of the two sections, and prevents any possibility of dust or water entering the case.

In the structure shown in Fig. 11, sections 60 and SI are again formed as in the preferred embodiment, but in this case lug 62 is not vertical, as in the preferred embodiment, but is rather outwafdly diagonally disposed, and member 63 with portion 64 is similarly shaped. This particular construction enables the two sections'to be readily disengaged from each other.

In Fig, 12, section 69 is provided with an internal flange 68 along the upper wall and the opposed end walls, such flange engaging the marginal edges of the corresponding walls on section, but are not to be taken in any limiting sense wherein the respective inner edges of upper walls.

When in this position of Fig. 4, cover section H is supported along three marginal edges there of, to wit, its two end walls and upper wall, by the continuous valence strip Hi. Downward vmovement of section II relative to section I0 is. of course, efiectively prevented by the internal locking members 33 and 30, and accordinglythe since they constitute only a few of the many possible embodiments of the invention, the essential feature of which is the provision of a case having a pair of interfitting sections of substantially the same size and shape with cooperating valences or flanges around a number of the sides of the case, and with cooperating elements for securing the lower edges of the case together, such elements comprising a lug or pin secured at, or adjacent to, the lower wall of the case, and a hook-shaped element similarly positioned in the other section of the case.

What I claim is:

A traveling case comprising a generally rectangular structure, a handle secured to the upper wall of said case, the case being formed in two complemental, vertical sections of substantially the same size and shape and which are completely disengageable from each other, the inner marginal edges of the two sections which meet in surface engagement when the case is assembled being of substantially identical contour, the first of said sections being provided with a valence strip extending along the outer surface of such inner marginal edges of the top and opposed end walls of said section which encloses the adjacent marginal edges of the second section when the case is in assembled relation, a single elongated,

, substantially vertical lug extending upwardly from the inner marginal edge of the lower wall of the first section, such lug extending the greater portion of the length of said lower wall, a single elongated, inverted U shaped element secured to the inner marginal edge of the lower wall of the second section which receives the vertical WALLACE H. BRACKEN. 

